DEGOUTIE’S WARNING

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 February 1923, Page 5

DEGOUTIE’S WARNING

J 5 GERMANS MUST PAY. \ FURTHER MEASURES THREATENED (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, January 30. According to a Cologne telegram, General Degouette issued a statement to the foreign journalists tiiat when he arrived in the Ruhr it was not intended to carry out any military or political purposes. The French wanted to disturb the people’s normal life as little as possible, but the German Government had tried every means to provoke a general rebellion, which only the wisdom of the German workers had prevented. The French Army was not like the Prussian. “We are not murderers,” he said, “anxious to put everyone to the sword, or treat the people as Bismarck did. Moderation, however, is not weakness. They are mistaken who think that our patience is without limit. We tried to carry out the mission peacefully, and the German political leaders are entirely responsible for the present misfortunes in the Ruhr. The Allied Governments will continue in the way they have taken. They mean t'o impose their will and break the adversary. We do not want to enslave the German workers; we only want to coerce the German magnates who received indemnities from the Government, but had not paid taxes. We intend to stay here as long as necessary, and will impose further sanctions until we achieve the task from which nothing will divert us. Germany’s future lies in our hands.” GENERAL RAILWAY STRIKE. BERLIN, January 30. The railwaymen of tho Rhineland Palatinate have declared a general strike. PARIS, January 31. “Le Petit Parisien” states: General slackness dominated the Ruhr on Tuesday. The railwaymen in Reckingausen, who struck and issued an ultimatum to General Degoutte, ordering him to wihtdraw troops from the railway territory, manifested a desire to return to work. They sought an audience with Degoutte, who refused saying that they must first apologise for the insolent terms of the ultimatum. SIEGE AT ESSEN. BERLIN, January 30. An Essen telegram says that the French Commander there summoned the employers, Labour leaders, and postal and police officials, and announced that a stringent state of siege would be proclaimed. The trade, union leaders expressed a determination to hold meetings. It remains to be seen whether the French dare provoke the workers. The French Commander also summoned the German journalists, and accused them of circulating lies. A German spokesman replied that they were watching German, not French interests. VOTE FOR SUPPLIES. (United Service.) LONDON, January 31. The “Daily Mail's” Berlin correspondent reports that the Reichsrat voted the equivalent of nearly eleven millions sterling to safeguard the country’s food supply and help the population of Ruhr. INTERVENTION PROSPECTS. BERLIN, January 31. Official circles admit that Germany would accept British, Italian or American intervention if it implied a FrancoBelgian withdrawal from the Ruhr. This must precede any attempts to settle the reparations by arbitration. BALFOUR-POINCARE INTERVIEW. PARIS, January 31. Lord Balfour had a long private interview with M. Poincare with reference to the Ruhr. FRANCO-BELGIAN DECISION. PARIS, January 51. “Le Journal” states that France and Belgium have agreed to cease completely the deliveries of Ruhr coal to many. ’Whatever reserves may been accumulated, and whatever puv-q chases may be made in Britain, German industry cannot continue long unaffected by the stoppage of Ruhr coal. The decisive stage of the crisis has thus been reached. COAL FROM BRITAIN. LONDON, January 30. The extraordinary demand for coal at Glasgow for shipment to Germany is believed to have been created by Stinnes and Thyssen. The price of coal has risen from 23s to 26s per ton f.o.b. at Scottish ports. It is believed the price will go up to 30s 3d per ton. Ten thousand tons of coal were shipped from the Clyde on Saturday. I'here arc several more cargoes of equal dimensions loading. Thirty thousand tons of coal are booked for Monday. It is stated that Stinnes and Thyssen have millions sterling at their disposal in London. “The Times’s” Paris correspondent reports that a high French official has denited the rumours that France is protesting to Britain against the sale of British coal to Germany. The official declared that France has pot the slightest intention of protesting against private transactions. If, he said, France had closed tho Ruhr frontiers in order to reduce the German Government to submission, she would iiew with certain anxiety any arrangement foi enabling the Germans to hold out, but the only case in which there could be aiiy Government interference would be in the case of purchases of coal by the German Government itself. Germany has bought and paid for 750,000 tons of coal at Newcastle, for delivery within five months. Franco and Scandinavia are also buying abnormally. Many German inquiries have been received in Cardiff and Monmouthshire. NO ECONOMIC CONFERENCE. WASHINGTON, January 30. In connection with Senator Borah’s resolution, it is learned at White House that President Harding still considers a world economic conference at this time to be impracticable. LA'I’EST EXCHANGE RATES. LONDON, January 30. Tim foreign exchange rates are Paris 75.45 francs; Berlin, 190,000 marks to £l.